Coma
by Maskala
Summary: No one is ever satisfied with their past. Everyone looks for a way to change things - to remake the world the way it should have happened. But what if two people try this.. at the same time?
1. Accident

_Six months, since I died. Six months, since my life went back to normal. Well. Normal as it could ever be around this bunch of idiots. Mai, Mikoto, Haruka,Nao.. nutters, every last one of them. Shizuru... Her too, I guess. I still don't know where we stand. What we do now. Though.. I get the feeling, she's not sure either. Our illustrious, ever-demure President, unsure of something. Incredible, isn't it? I'm probably the closest person to her, right now... and even I get the feeling there are parts of Shizuru I don't know._

_Speaking of which... it's unlike her to be late, what could be delaying her...?_

"Excuse me?"

A voice startled Natsuki Kuga from her thoughts, and she glanced up, a hint of annoyance in her green eyes.

"You're late, Fuji--. Oh."

She made it halfway through her planned sentence, before she realized the person talking to her was not the woman she was expecting. A brunette, so she could be forgiven for making the mistake... but she didn't have Shizuru's eyes. Or her gait. The President carried herself in a certain way.. walking, for her, was more like floating. This girl had no such elegance. _Why am I even comparing the two?_

"Is this chair.. taken?"

"Ah... not yet, but my friend will be arriving soon.."

The blunette dropped her gaze, expecting that to be the last of their conversation.. but the girl talking to her had more to say.

"Oh, I see. Late, is she? Well, don't worry. She'll be fine in the end... good luck with your girlfriend, Kuga-san!"

_Wait a second... what is she... I never told her my name.. and how does she.._

"H-hey, I didn't te--"

Natsuki found herself talking to empty air.

"What the..?"

Her chair scraped on the tiles as the green-eyed girl stood up and searched the busy street for any sign of the brunette.. then sat down again with a sigh, brushing a hand over her motorcycle leathers in search of non-existent dust specks. Sitting at a table, outside one of her favorite cafes, Kuga had a good view of the milling pedestrians, and busy traffic, but nowhere could she see the girl she'd just been speaking to.

_How weird. Some sort of prank, I guess.. I'll talk to Mai about it later... it was probably her idea. Whatever could she mean, though, by that.. Shizuru is NOT my girlfriend! Nor am I even the type of person to have a..._

Every now and then, Natsuki simply decided to stop a train of thought dead in it's tracks, and pursue it no further. This was one of those times. With a sigh, she returned to silent contemplation of the table top, idly drawing patterns with her index finger. Ten seconds later, she realised she'd just written "Shizuru", and swore under her breath, wiping away the invisible characters.

_Why am I even here, anyway... friends don't meet for lunch dates.. at least, the weather's okay. Sunny, for once. Maybe when Shizuru gets here, she'll be forced to have a cold drink, rather than that tea she always seems to choose... Huh. Iced tea, most likely._

"Would you like to order, Miss?"

_What's with people and interrupting me, today.._

"I... uh... I'll take a Coke, and an iced tea. My friend will be arriving in a few moments."

"Thank you.. I'll bring your coke out right away, your girlfriend's iced tea will take a minute or two."

It wasn't until a good twenty seconds later that Natsuki realised.

_WHAT? Girlfriend, AGAIN? Geez. Mai has definitely put someone up to this. I probably should've looked more closely at that waiter, I bet it was someone I know.. probably that voyeur Takeda._

Just thinking about that particular young man made Natsuki feel... guilty. He'd been very nice about the whole thing.. even after she'd rejected his confession.

_Looking back.. it would've been better to accept it. At least, that way, Mai wouldn't have been able to taunt me about living in denial. Not that there's any foundation there. I'm just.. not ready for a relationship. With anyone. That stuff I put in the letter.. just a standard put-down, nothing.. true._

The drinks were set down on the table, gently, and the server turned away. Natsuki glanced up sharply, but not quite fast enough. She caught only a retreating back, and long brown hair..

_Is that the girl I was talking to earlier? Is she a waitress, now? What the..._

Never one to simply sit still and let happenstance.. well, happen, Natsuki started to stand up. At the same time, her phone rang. Now, most motorcycle jackets have an inside pocket, and Natsuki's was no exception. She used it to store her phone, and other necessities. However, also like most motorcycle jackets.. the inside pocket was very difficult to access at the best of times.

_Probably Shizuru, calling to say she can't make it... silly woman. After I'd ordered for her, too._

Kuga grumbled to herself as she reached for the phone, groping inside the jacket with considerable difficulty, reaching for the vibrating object. Fingertips brushed a plastic surface.. there! With a triumphant smirk, the blunette removed the irritating phone from her pocket with a flourish. As she did, though.. her elbow caught the conveniently placed glass of iced tea, knocking it all over her, just as she snapped the mobile open.

"Hello, Kuga spea--.. Feth! Hang on, I just spilled tea all over mysel--"

Natsuki's grumbling was interrupted by the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Natsuki! We need you at the hospital right away!"

She'd recognise that voice anywhere...

"Mai? What's going--"

"It's Shizuru. She's been hurt, it..."

"I'm on my way."

A few minutes later.. the brown-haired waitress smiled as she deftly wiped up the spilled tea..

"Good job, Natsuki."

--

My first fanfiction.. so please, don't be too cruel. I am planning to continue this, but as with all authors.. good feedback will result in faster updates :P. I'm still lacking in confidence, so please, don't be afraid to leave me some feedback. ANY feedback, really. 'till next time!


	2. Coma

OK.. Chapter 2 going up. Thank you for all your reviews... but I can't tell you who the mysterious brunette is :P. As for the eventual ending, well.. it'll be a happy one. And it will, hopefully, be a ShizNat. It definitely won't be NatNao, or anything else in that vein. TheI've first few chapters won't have much Shizuru.. but I'm currently deliberating over switching the focus to her for the second arc :P. Also... I've left another clue to the brunette's identity.. no, not Shizuru... ;P. Handj... I'm not making any promises about killing Shizuru.. but you should know, death is no barrier to this particular couple. Especially not with that brunette hanging around..

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Mai Hime... or Japan... or Fort Knox. Or any number of things I'd like to own.

Enough chit-chat.. I give you the 2nd Chapter.

* * *

_I drove like this that time, too. After I'd made up my mind, to confront her, I drove like a mad person through the halls of our school. I wasn't afraid, at that time, just resolute. I knew what I had to do.. and I did it. But now...?_

Natsuki Kuga shook her helmeted head, to clear it of such thoughts. Shizuru could never be seriously hurt, she'd be sitting in A & E smiling, sipping tea, maybe a bandage on one hand, not a hair out of place..

"Ara... Natsuki, worried about me? I'm glad.."

Senses, honed by several years of driving on these roads, tingled... and Natsuki swerved sharply from one lane to the next, just missing an oncoming truck. The driver swore angrily at her through the window, his voice drowned out by the screech of tires.

_That's what I get for daydreaming on the road.. I'll look like an idiot if I end up in the hospital because of an accident while I was coming to see her.._

**Ping**

It was her. The ex-Kaichou, the girl who destroyed an entire organisation, the demon whose bloodied blade was matched only by her eyes, the woman who was tortured for years by a secret love. Fujino Shizuru. And now, her chestnut locks lay across a hospital pillow, and crimson eyes hid from the world.

**Ping**

By her bedside, hemmed in by machines, Natsuki was still in a state of shock. She'd asked for Fujino at the main desk.. been directed here by a blonde nurse with a gentle smile.. left quietly alone without another word. And now... what was she supposed to do?

**Ping**

"Shizuru... it's me, Natsuki."

No response.. and the girl sighed. Just like the nurse said... "She may not regain consciousness for a few days.. or.. ever. She took a hit to the head, not hard enough to kill her outright, but..."

"Shizuru... I don't know if you can hear me, but..."

**Ping**

"Just... don't.. don't die, ok? I have too many things I want to talk to you about. Just.. think about your tea! Never taste another cup of tea... and what about your fan club? You can't let me down, Shizuru.."

**Ping**

"Stupid machine!"

The blunette reached over, and twisted a dial on the heart rate monitor..

_This should be the volume.._

**PING**

The machine blared out at twice the volume it had before, and Natsuki flinched, quickly turning the dial the other way. The next ping was more subdued.. almost mournfully quiet. A depressed little ping. With a rueful shake of her head.. the girl sat down again, beside Shizuru's bed, hands folding into her lap.

"I mean... Shizuru.. if.. if you felt the way towards me you said you did.. you wouldn't just let yourself die, right? You wouldn't just give up on life.. You wouldn't give up on me, Shizuru? Not after the Carnival.."

Memories from that time flooded back, and tears took Natsuki's cheeks by storm..

"We died together... you can't die now. Please, Shizuru. I.. love you.."

_Just not in the way you want. Just like before. How.. ironic. It's pathetic of you, Kuga, to sit here begging her to live. For the last six months.. you've practically ignored her. Shoved her away in fear and pain. Because you were afraid of the way she looked at you, weren't you... afraid of the way she said your name.. Na-tsu-ki-chan.. because you were afraid of melting ice. It was your power, and now, it's your curse.. you're just not strong enough to break it._

Somewhere along the way... her own thoughts shifted, into someone else's voice.. a familiar voice, that she'd heard before today..

"I'm amazed... a tea-drenched Kuga Natsuki wasn't enough to wake her up... well. I'm sure your girlfriend will come around soon, Miss.. now, if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to check up on."

That voice.. the cafe.. the waitress..

Natsuki made it out of her chair, and halfway to the door, but she wasn't quick enough..

"Hey, you, get ba--..."

She caught a glimpse of a white nurse's uniform.. and long brown hair, vanishing around a corner.

_Ok, this is getting weird._

* * *

_Just... a.. little further.. I can reach her, I can.. I won't let you go, Shizuru._

_Natsuki drifted... and stretched out her hand for another's... she had to save Shizuru, Shizuru was drifting away... _

_She could only watch as their fingertips came so close... but couldn't quite touch, and her name was being called, from a long way away... Shizuru was calling out to her, begging to be saved_..

"Ku-ga-san! It's time to wake up now..."

"Shi-Shizuru!"

And with that, frantic shout, Natsuki was awake, looking up frantically into familiar red eyes... but they weren't red.

Instead, Natsuki found herself looking into the pale blue eyes.. of Kanzaki Reito. One very fast recovery later, she was once more properly balanced on the chair, and completely aware of her surroundings..

"Kanazaki-san... did you come to see Shizuru, as well? The doctors say that she might not wake u--"

Reito cut her off, smoothly.

"Actually.. I've been here for the last few hours. I think I must have arrived shortly after you did, but you were asleep, so.. dreaming about nicer things than this.."

A hand indicated the unconscious Shizuru.

"No, I came to tell you the doctors say we have to leave now.. only family are allowed to stay."

"Family? Are her parents here, then?"

"No. But that doesn't change things. You, especially, Kuga, need to get home, eat, shower.. Shizuru would want you to keep taking care of yourself.."

"Hey, I'm not a complete moron, you know, I can manage myself.."

"I see... hence why you fell asleep at her bedside, smelling of tea, still wearing your motorcycle leathers. Did you think the scent might bring her back?"

"I... you... Gah!"

Left without an easy reply, Natsuki just turned a furious gaze on the unfortunate Kanzaki.

"Fine. Just.. wait outside for a second, ok? I have some things I want to say.. in private."

"Sure, sure.. I just hope you're not trying to pay her back for kissing you while YOU were sleeping.."

"Kanzaki! Out already!"

"Fine, fine.. "

And the door closed behind him.

"I see why 'nami likes this so much... she really is too much fun to tease.."

"Shizuru... I... they're making me leave, but I'll be back tomorrow, as early as they'll let me in, okay? Don't..."

The blunette swallowed.. and her eyes dropped.

"Don't go dying without me, okay?"

And with one final backward glance.. she was gone.


	3. Dream?

Ok.. Chapter Three. Two updates in one day, aren't you lucky? I just wanted to get on with the story..

**Disclaimer: ** I've looked everywhere.. and I still can't find the deeds of ownership.. so I guess I don't own Mai Hime. Pity, I could've sworn I had them somewhere..

Thanks, as always, for reviews.. warning, though. Some sadness coming up in this chapter, possibly some fluff too, though. I won't say in what order, though.. Apologies for not writing the lemon, I have a good reason.

* * *

The door slammed behind her, and she stalked into the small apartment. She'd given up on sharing with Mai and Mikoto a little while ago.. decided she needed her own space. Now, though.. it just seemed cold and empty.

Her helmet bounced off the floor, and leathers sprawled in various choice spots, as the blunette made her way towards the bathroom. Under the shower's spray, she'd forget it all.. at least, for a little while.

_I keep seeing her, lying in that bed.. and after what that doctor said.._

She hadn't made a clean getaway from the hospital, after leaving Shizuru's room.. a doctor had grabbed her shoulder, sat her down to talk..

_I can't believe it.. she crashed her car.. because she was drunk? What would Shizuru drink, apart from tea? It's just... not her. He said.. he said it looked like a suicide attempt, just crashing into the wall like that.. no one else was hurt, though.._

Despite such a charitable thought, Natsuki knew she'd rather a dozen people had been killed, and Shizuru left unharmed, so she could..

_So I could... what? Reject her again? I still... I'm not a lesbian, damnit! I don't look at girls in that way!_

Shaking her head, Natsuki dropped the last of her clothes on the bathroom floor, and stepped into the shower, flinching for a moment as cool water rained down on her.

_But you don't look at boys in that way, either, Natsuki-chan, do you.. You've seen Mai-chan and the others swooning over the boys, but not you.. you don't look at anyone like that, do you. Except, of course, for Shizuru..._

For the second time that day.. her thoughts took on the voice of someone else. If she didn't know better..

With an angry push, Natsuki threw the shower door open, and looked around the room suspiciously, but found it empty. No sign of that suspicious brunette.. and no sign of the brunette she actually wanted to see. A sudden mood change left her melancholy, stepping back inside the shower, seeking warmth in the hot spray.

_I'm right, though.. I don't look at anyone in that way. Not... I.. _

It's difficult to lie to other people.. to look them in the eyes and tell them something you know isn't the truth. It's infinitely harder to lie to yourself, so instead, Natsuki took refuge in memory.

_It's perfectly normal, though, to be weird about naked bodies.. I mean.. _

Memories of Mai, Mikoto, even Shiho... all bathing together, not worried about being naked in the same water... and then, a memory of yelling at Mai when the redhead walked in on her bath.

_Huh. I guess I really am weird. Just more shy than most people. Or something like that. Uncomfortable being naked. Nothing more than that.._

Again, that uncomfortable tinge to her thoughts, essence of half-truths, and thoughts narrowly avoided. With another sigh.. the girl closed her eyes, and leaned back against the tiles, enjoying the water, losing herself in it.. and fleeing from difficult thoughts.

* * *

She came out of the shower, with a towel round her body, and another round her hair.. feeling refreshed, if still melancholy. After all, Shizuru was still in a coma, her life was still in danger..

"Ara, Natsuki... I thought you'd be wearing a little.. more.."

That soft Kyoto-ben stopped the girl in her tracks, mind racing.

_Shizuru. She's.. behind me.. and.. not in the hospital.. and.. not in a coma.. and.._

That thought train ended abruptly as the blunette spun on the spot, keeping a precarious grip on her towel.. to find a calm, red-eyed ex-Kaichou, standing in the middle of her apartment in a purple kimono.

"Sh-Shizuru? You're.. okay?"

"Of course... did Natsuki think I would just go off and die without her? I would never do that.. especially after you told me not to."

"Wait... you... heard that?"

"Yes. And... I wanted to wake up, to see Natsuki drenched in tea, but you were just so far away.. I came here as soon as I could, though.. is something wrong?"

As the girl spoke.. Natsuki had suddenly started leaking tears from green eyes.. staring at Shizuru with a kind of disbelief. Without warning, she sprang forward, and seized her in a hug.

"Idiot! Don't... don't be so reckless! I didn't know you were drinking! You should've told me, you should've said something!"

"Natsu-ki... you.."

The brunette turned away, in the embrace of the person she loved the most.

"I already.. told you everything. And you.. gave your answer, already."

_It was me? That drove her.. to.. try and take her own life? My... rejection? My.. selfish rejection? Without even taking the time to think it through?_

"Sh-Shizuru... you already know... how much of an idiot I am.. you should know better than to believe something I say only once.."

The brunette stiffened.. pulling, this time, against Natsuki's arms, wanting to escape this situation..perhaps it'd be better, if..

"Shizuru, look at me."

_Gods.. give me strength._

"I.. was wrong."

Seconds later.. the towels hit the floor, shortly followed by a purple kimono.

* * *

Some time later.. the two lay together, breathing gently, legs entwined. Green eyes peered over linked fingers at red, daring her to say something.

"Nat-su-ki... that.. took me by surprise..."

A soft smile answered that particular statement.. then a voice. Not the harsh tones many would recognise as Ice Princess Kuga.. but softer... huskier. Lovemaking was good for Natsuki.

"I should make a point.. of doing that more often, then.."

It seemed only Natsuki could make her brunette blush... but of course, she was always paid back sooner or later..

"Ara.. I think that Natsuki enjoyed more than just surprising me... else.. she wouldn't have yelped quite so loudly.."

"...Quiet, you.."..

"Ara, ara! Does Natsuki have another use for my breath?"

"Yes. It's mine."

With that, she leaned across their arms to capture Shizuru's lips.. and, quite rightly, stealing her breath. Warmth shared through that contact, lips swollen and flushed with shared desire.. but something was wrong.

Even as lips parted.. they cooled.. and Natsuki's eyes shot open to a green light. All too-familiar green sparks fluttered around the brunette's face.. and red eyes held only sadness.

"Ookini, Natsuki... I'm glad that you loved me.."

And with that.. sparks flickered, condensed... and Fujino Shizuru evaporated into thin air.

* * *

N.B.. I'm still writing without a beta, so apologies for any typos, though I think I've managed to screen out most of my stupid erros.. and, I apologise.. I just had to kill Shizuru. All hope is not lost, though!

And yes.. 'nami IS our mysterious brunette.. if anyone wants to take a guess at their full name, go ahead. See if you get it right.. they're going to be very important in coming chapters.

* * *


	4. Miracle

Ok.. Chapter Four. I'll clear up some ambiguity from Chapter 3.. which was deliberately mysterious by the way, but those that guessed.. good job. Longer chapter this time, though..

For some reason, I keep forgetting the **Disclaimer.** Well. Remember. I own nothing. Not even a cardboard box. Not even.. a fork.

* * *

"SHIZURU!"

And with that... Natsuki Kuga sat bolt upright in bed, throwing the light covers into disarray. A moment's panic, while she looked around, in semi-desperation... before it dawned on her.

_A dream. I had a dream like that?! Jeez. I guess.. that means Shizuru is still.._

With a rueful shake of her head... the blunette got up, and dressed.. choosing to shower again after finding herself soaked in sweat...

_I guess it really was -that- kind of dream, then.._

What she didn't spot, before leaving the apartment.. was an abandoned purple kimono. Only half an hour after she left, though.. it too dissolved into the familiar green sparks.

* * *

Today, she took the ride to the hospital at a slightly more sane speed. She wasn't usually about this early, so she found the empty roads a pleasant surprise. The journey passed in something of a blur, she spent so much time worrying about a certain bed-bound patient..

The nurse on the front desk looked up, and smiled at the approaching girl..

"Good morning, Miss.. can I help you?"

"I'm here to visit Fujino Shizuru. She came into A & E unconscious yesterday, after a car accident."

The nurse looked down at her computer, tapped a few keys... and her whole expression changed. Medical staff have to practice a certain neutral expression, that they use when handling bad news.

"Excuse me, Miss.. did you say you're a friend of Fujino-san?"

"That's right.. Natsuki Kuga."

"Then you'd better step this way. Dr Wong would like to speak to you."

The sick feeling followed Natsuki all the way down the corridor, and into a smart-looking office at the end. It didn't go away, even when the dark-haired man behind the desk introduced himself.

"Kuga-san.. I am deeply sorry to have to tell you this.. but Fujino-san passed away last night. Her brain activity peaked, and for a while, it looked like she was going to recover.. then she suddenly took a turn for the worse. She died at 11:48 PM. I have the necessary certificates here, if you'd like to..."

"Can you just... be silent, for a moment?"

Natsuki wasn't usually a warm person, but the tone of voice she used with the poor doctor went beyond cold. It was utterly devoid of emotion, just words. Nothing else. At least five minutes passed... with green eyes staring blankly into space, before Dr Wong tried again.

" I'm very sorry for your loss. I'd... just like to know if you have any way of contacting her family. We need to make arrangements for the body, you see.."

This, too, was met by silence.Eventually... she spoke, in that same dead voice, and her eyes seemed to have lost the shine they had only the day before.

"Her family still haven't turned up? Well. Fuck them, then."

"Kuga-san, that doesn't help.. unless you'd like to be responsible for her body, and the funeral... as the person closest to her, maybe you could.."

The frozen blunette suddenly exploded into action, lunging across the front of the desk and grabbing the man's collar, dragging him toward her.

"I wasn't close to her. We hadn't spoken in months. Got it? She **wasn't my girlfriend.**"

_But you wish she was, don't you.._

"I'm.. sorry, Kuga-san, I didn't int-tend any disrespect.."

He stammered.. and was dropped back in his seat, as the blunette turned to storm out.

"But what do we do with the body, Kuga-san?"

His words landed on deaf ears. Natsuki was already gone.

Where to go. Where to run when the walls come crashing down. What house is safe in Jericho, when the walls of ice are tumbling? On what shoulder do you mourn the loss of the shoulder that you cried upon? Where do you go, when your world has quietly ended, without informing you that it was leaving.

Natsuki went to the cliff. A distant, lonely cliff, that so many years ago, saw three lives plummet over it's edge in a small, metal box. A cliff where Shizuru had saved her life, from a deranged, one-eyed Yuuki Nao.

And she stood on the edge, staring over the sea.

_Shizuru.. you went away without telling me. You took away my chance to say it. You took away.. everything. It's almost funny. Only a few weeks ago, I'd have said your passing wouldn't mean that much to me. How wrong I would have been. Why am I so stupid? Why couldn't I see? You were everything to me. The Carnival.. was supposed to remind us who our most important person was. Everyone else grew closer. Mai had Tate.. Takumi, Akira... Akane, Kazuya.. even Midori had the professor. What about you and me, Shizuru? How did we grow closer?_

"Missing her yet, Na-tsu-ki-chan?"

"Yesterday, I wondered who you were. Today, I couldn't give a fuck. Go away."

"Oh.. so cold.. surely, the ice Princess. But you must be hurting, Nat-su-ki.. must be bleeding, inside. You loved her, didn't you? And yet.. you were blind. Silly, silly girl."

Silence. A cold silence. And the wind cried for her, dried her tears on her cheeks.

"So you're just here to taunt me. I get it. Fuck off already."

"Now, now.. don't you even want to know who I am? How... I could help you?"

"Oh. Ara."

Spat out, a mockery of the word.

"Now I see. You want to be with me, is that it? You want to help me forget her, help me move on, get on with my life. She WAS my life. And I lost her."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Jeez. You mortals get so antsy about little things like life, and death.. don't you think there are things more important than that? I mean, you should know.. you died once already, so..."

Natsuki spun around, murder in her eyes. If she still had her Elements, the girl would have been dead now, but as it was.. the gap closed between them in the blink of an eye. With the strength born of madness, the green-eyed girl seized the other by the throat, and spun her round, dangerously close to the cliff edge.

"Talk. What do you know about the Carnival. Who ARE you. Talk, or I drop you over this cliff, and never look back.."

"Hey, if Nao-san can survive a drop like this, then surely -I- can.."

With a furious growl, Natsuki shoved the brunette.. and the woman took a step back instinctively.

_You're kidding._

Instead of falling, like any normal person, the brunette just stood on empty air. Like it was something she did every day. More.. she took a step back, putting herself out of arm's reach.

"Convinced, yet? Here. This is the REAL me.."

She snapped her fingers... and changed. Brown hair bleached to white.. blue eyes melted to a curiously familiar pink..

Natsuki fumed.. but finally, got her temper under control, and stood back, arms folded.

"Right, I'll humour you. Who are you, exactly? The 7th Power Ranger, without her armour?"

"Ikezu, Natsuki.."

She spoke.. with Shizuru's voice, and the blunette's eyes hardened once more.

"Don't fuck with me."

"Oh.. I'm sorry, Natsuki-chan, I couldn't help it. Call me Nami, okay? You once knew my brother.."

"Right... oh. Let me guess. Nagi."

"Got it in one, Natsuki-chan! By the way, I loved the way you pushed him over that railing.. no one's done that to him since... since ME."

"Right, right. I grow bored of this discussion, and it's not bringing Shizuru back. What do you want?"

"I want.. nothing, Natsuki-chan. I'm here to make you an offer you can't refuse. Right now.. I'll bet you're feeling rather.. remorseful, right? You regret your actions of the last six months, since they led to the... unfortunate set of events we see today."

"Get on with it, already."

"Hey, allow me a little drama, Nat-su--"

At the look in the blunette's eyes, Nami shut up.

"Fine. I'm offering you a chance to change things. Starting six months ago. You can change your actions, and.. change the future. Or the present. Or even the past, as Shizuru-chan died yesterday. !-- page size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm P margin-bottom: 0.21cm --"

_Huh. Another all-powerful being, offering me a chance to change things.. this girl is more like her brother than she seems._

"What's the catch."

"Ooooh... Natsuki-chan is sharp today, it seems. Very well. There is one catch."

She spoke.. and Natsuki listened. And hesitated. And then, finally..

"Very well. I agree."

A moment's silence... then Nami grinned.

"My brother always liked Mai best.. but I preferred you. It was me that chose Duran out for you, you know. You were my favourite, Ice Princess. Now, all you have to do.. is step off this cliff."

"...You're kidding."

"No joke! To begin your mysterious journey in time and space.. step off this cliff. Don't worry.. you'll never hit the water."

A long silence, while Natsuki contemplated the drop. Finally..

An observer would've been shocked. To see the girl balance on the edge of the cliff like that.. then simply fall forward...and vanish. An observer wouldn't have heard her last words, though.

"I'll make things right. Shizuru."

* * *

Now... how's that for a cliffhanger? Literally. If anyone has suggestions for what Natsuki's penalty for going back in time should be... feel free to name them. I do have a good one in mind already.. but I'm still open to suggestions.


	5. Make Things Right

Ok.. so.. flashback to the day before, now, for some Shizuru.. I mean, you didn't think I was going to let Natsuki go travelling through time and space ALONE, did you?

Apologies for the shorter chapter.. but I've never been a proliferate author. I don't like wasting words /.

Many thanks to **TwinBladeWarrior **for picking out my silly error. It has now been fixed :P. And, **Little-Demon-Inside,**I sent you a message in answer.. but in case you don't get it, sure. I'd love to read something like that.

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Mai Hime...

* * *

((The Day before..))

Resolution, finally achieved. It took her a long time to get here, but now, she knew what she had to do.

Alcohol never affected Fujino Shizuru in the same way as everyone else. Instead of clouding her thoughts, high-quality liquor only sharpened them. Cleared them. And, if she drank it in teacups, she could fool most people who happened to see her. Not, of course, that she preferred alcohol to tea. Tea was much preferred. But it didn't sharpen her thoughts.

Drinking tea, would not have led her to this conclusion. The right conclusion. The honorable conclusion, no less. A twist of the brunette's wrist started the engine.. and the roar drew her thoughts into the car.

An expensive model, no doubt. But she didn't keep track of these things. Somewhere, she had the Owner's Manual, and various other pieces of paperwork, still in their original wrapping. This car would serve her purpose, even if it was not the same as was originally intended for the vehicle.

Hands on the wheel, feet on the pedals.. and the vehicle pulled away smoothly from the kerb. With a steadily increasing pressure.. it picked up speed. Accelerating. Gaining momentum. Becoming the tool she needed.

_Everything I do, I do for you. It makes things so much simpler if I just do what's best for you. And right now, what's best for you, is for me to disappear. I know you'll be sad, at first.. but then you'll move on. That's what's best for you. I'm.. like an anchor. I'm holding you back, because I can't let go. Natsuki._

Limits of control reached... and breached. The wall looms, invincible, fearless. Everything stops.

"Heya, Shizuru-chan!"

Shizuru knew, and knew full well, that there was no one in the front seat beside her two seconds ago. She also knew that cars did not just stop centimeters short of walls. That left only one piece to the puzzle.. a piece found in one casual glance.

"Ara, Nagi-san. How nice to see you here."

"Indeed, Shizuru-san. Was I.. interrupting something?"

The smile that lit the albino's face was eerie on someone so apparently young. And it wasn't one Shizuru had expected to see again any time soon. In truth, she hadn't expected to see any face, anytime soon, but..

"Oh, nothing particularly important. Was there something you wanted?"

Casual smile.. just a little strained. It was to be expected, in such a situation.. no one is perfect.

"Well.. Shizuru-chan... I was going to say.. looking back, you regret the way things turned out, ne? I mean... you know how badly Natsuki is going to be hurting after this, don't you? She'll blame herself, spiral into depression.. before you know it, she'll be.."

The kid snapped his fingers.. and an image of Natsuki falling forwards from a cliff sped through the brunette's thoughts.

"There's no other way, though. This is the best thing for her.. my Natsuki is strong enough to survive me."

"Nuh-uh, Fujino-san. But... what if you could change things? Make it so you never... developed this unhealthy obsession? What if, you could go back, and make it different? She'd have a happy, normal life, without you.. and you'd live happy on your own. It's a disastrous tangle, mixing you two together, and it always ends in tragedy..."

Red eyes turned forward, to the wall that loomed so close, frozen in time and space.. then back to Nagi. He had no reason to make promises that he couldn't keep, so..

"Tell me what I need to do."

Laughter. Mocking beyond his apparent years.

"Simple, Shizuru-chan. Just... take my hand."

She hesitated.. but only for a moment. Shizuru reached out, and took the hand of the one entity that could make everything okay.

"I'll make things right.. Natsuki."

And then her car hit the wall.

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Hrmm.. 'Nagi and 'Nami... I wonder... :P. Also, check out their various last words. Shizuru's last words before she vanishes in "Dream?", and their last words before each of them vanish in "Miracle" and this chapter. Nice dualities going on there..

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